Little Voices Echo in the Halls
by death-in-the-orchard
Summary: Alucard has to save an orphanage, but Anderson is already there and some how it becomes quite a comical predicament and later some AndersonxAlucard


There was a stuffed animal at his foot, and for some reason he couldn't ignore it. He bent down and picked it up, looking into the blue, marble-like eyes that were dull from age. The cat itself was worn down and could easily be said to resemble a rag, but it still contained some remnants of warmth though the temperature had been falling for some time as the sun was almost set. Clouds hung heavy overhead, and rain was obvious. Hooking the cat over his arm like a coat, Alucard walked up the steps to the door of the orphanage. It had been the only toy outside, and after he rang the doorbell he surveyed the empty grass yard. He glanced at the cat again, thinking it felt a little thin in the middle. Turning it over to its stomach he noted that someone had opened and emptied most of the cat's stuffing at some point in time and then sown it back up. Alucard hung the cat over his arm again as the door opened, pondering what use the cat had been put to in its life.

"You!" exclaimed the priest. Little heads poked around him, trying to get a view of the stranger. Anderson noticed this and quickly bade them to be on their way and he stepped out and closed the door as a little voice spoke up in protest. The door opened again immediately and the Father almost pushed the child back inside, but she ducked and grabbed at the cat on Alucard's arm.

"Cleo! That's my Cleo!" she tugged at the cat with impatience.

Alucard let her take it. "Don't leave it outside, it'll get taken away." He smirked. Her eyes widened and she realized she was afraid of this man before her and she retreated inside.

"Only a vampire would steal from orphans." Anderson growled. He disapproved of everything that had just taken place between the child and Alucard. "What are you doing here?" He pulled out a bayonet and pointed it at Alucard's face as he said this. "How did you find me?"

Alucard still smirked. "Well, I've been ordered to come help you out. I'm supposed to stay here for a bit and guard the defenseless orphanage. I didn't know that you would also be stationed here…this isn't your orphanage."

"Why would the Hellsings be concerned with a Catholic orphanage? This is outside their jurisdiction! The Catholic Church has already secured the situation!" Anderson glared at Alucard with distrust.

"I'm sorry but I don't care if the Catholic Church has sent an army waiting to protect this place, I've heard my orders and I will carry them out." Alucard said calmly but he was clearly enjoying Anderson's reaction. "I can pose as one of the children and no one would ever suspect a thing." He smiled, waiting for Anderson's fury and disgust to wash over his face.

"What? No! Never! And there is no way you could pretend to blend in with them!" Anderson barked, thrusting the blade closer to Alucard in his anger. "Leave demon! Before I kill you on the spot!"

"Even before a Church? At the steps of an orphanage?" Alucard's smile twisted, and his eyes shone.

"Yes!" Anderson glared at Alucard.

Alucard looked into Anderson's eyes. "No."

Anderson cursed and impaled Alucard's face with the blade. Alucard melted into darkness around the blade and reformed below it in his female form.

"You're such a mean priest. Stabbing a poor little girl in the face." Alucard's eyes were wild with pleasure as he saw Anderson's face contort in rage and surprise. "Such a bad man."

"Shut up!" Anderson struck out at Alucard again, but the door opened to reveal a nun.

"What?" she cried out and grabbed Alucard defensively, startling them both. "What are you doing to this child, Father?" She was horrified and color continued to drain from her face.

"Excuse me." Alucard broke in, tapping her on the arm. "I'm here to help out with your problem but the big mean priest wants to throw me out in the rain."

"Rain?" the nun said in confusion, and it immediately started to rain. "Oh, dear!" She ushered Alucard inside, Anderson ready to protest behind her. "Are you really here for…for that?" She whispered in the girl's ear as she patted her dry with a rag.

"Yes." Alucard smirked at Anderson who was dripping on the floor, fuming.

The nun turned to the priest. "Father Anderson! How could you treat a little girl so? You are so kind to the other children, and we need help. I was surprised that the Vatican only sent us one priest to defend us against that horde of devils that's ravaging the land. You need to think of the children!"

"I am!" Anderson roared, startling a few children who had come to investigate the commotion. "That thing," he pointed a finger violently at Alucard. "is a vampire, sent by an evil Protestant pig!"

The nun gaped at Anderson. "Pig? How can a priest speak that…" she froze and looked down at Alucard who glared at Anderson. "Vampire?"

Alucard turned his attention to the shocked nun. His face became more serious as he noticed her distress. "I am, but…" she shrieked and pushed Alucard away and shut the door that held the faces of some surprised children. She stood before the door defensively. Alucard remained sitting on the floor. "I'm here to help you, like I said. My Master does not care that you are Catholic, she was concerned for the orphans, and though she is Protestant she hopes for me to save you and the children from becoming monsters like myself." Alucard gazed into the nun's frightened eyes and saw them slowly melt and calm, he smirked slightly.

Anderson pushed Alucard down with his foot and raised a bayonet above him, but stopped as the nun grabbed his raised arm. "No!" she yelled, and quiet fell. She knelt beside Alucard, looking him in the eye. "You want to save them? Do you yourself want to save these orphans?"

Alucard was quiet.

"He's a monster! I need to…!" Anderson started but Alucard interrupted him.

"Yes." Alucard said, gazing back at the nun. "I want to kill those vampires that kill without a reason." Anderson and the nun were quiet, staring down at the girl pinned to the floor.

"Alright, I believe you." The nun said and she tried to push Anderson's foot aside, and was surprised that she couldn't.

"No, this is not a good choice." Anderson glared at Alucard and grinded his heel into the small body.

"I say it is! This…person means us no harm!" Anderson was disgusted, but Alucard's eyes widened in surprise.

"Person?" his surprise turned into a sneer. "I haven't been called one of those….well, never in my memory." He chuckled darkly.

"Why?" the nun asked, with some pity.

"Because I'm a monster." Alucard smiled, and the nun shivered slightly.

"Father Anderson, let her up." She stood up and opened the door, revealing them to the children.

Anderson hastily did as he was told and Alucard got up immediately, so that the children wouldn't notice. A little girl holding a stuffed cat spoke up.

"Sister Ruth? Are you okay?" The sister smiled brightly.

"Yes, of course I am, dear." She hugged the little girl.

An older boy eyed Alucard. "I thought I saw…." He broke off as Alucard stared into his eyes. His face became blank and then he blinked. "Michael why did you stop? You said you had to go to the bathroom." He grabbed a toddler's hand and walked down the hall.

"Hey! You forgot me, Joshua!" the little girl called after, breaking away from the nun and chasing the boy.

"What did you do?" Anderson grabbed Alucard roughly.

"I made him forget, it would have been bothersome." Alucard smiled.

Anderson trembled with rage and dropped Alucard to the floor. "He's too dangerous!" he glared at the nun who looked nervously at Alucard.

She nodded. "But she is right." Her nervousness didn't leave. "You said 'he'?"

Alucard got up. "I don't care what my form looks like. I'm currently just using this one as a disguise but fifty years ago I used this one regularly."

"Oh…" the nun walked out of the room unsteadily.

"Liar." Anderson put away the bayonet he had hidden behind his back. "You wouldn't have taken the form of a little girl."

"But I did." Alucard followed the nun's direction. "I don't care what I look like." Alucard continued as the priest walked behind him, warily.

"Yeah, no matter what you're a monster." His glare bored into Alucard's back.

Turning, Alucard found a small room with the children he had seen earlier, plus two more.

"Um…" the little girl holding the stuffed cat walked up to Alucard. "Do you know that man who gave me Cleo?" she asked shyly.

"You could say that." Alucard smirked, making the girl hesitate.

"Well….um….can you tell him thank you?"

Alucard's eyes lost some of their cruel humor. "Sure." Then he paused and put his hands to his head. "Wait, I hear something." He feigned concentration. The nun looked on in interest.

The little girl looked up in wonder.

"He says you are welcome, but," Alucard put his hands down. "He also has a warning for you."

The girl was a little scared.

Alucard smiled mischievously. "He says that if you leave your toys outside again, then he will whisk them away to his cold dark dungeon and keep them there forever!" Alucard laughed evilly.

"Noooooo!" The girl cried in terror. "I promise I won't! I won't!"

Alucard stopped. "Then you have nothing to worry about and the scary man won't ever bother you again." He laughed lightly, but noticed that the girl didn't stop crying.

"Hey! Stop crying!" Alucard demanded, but she only cried louder. He gritted his teeth as he felt Anderson's dark aura float over him. He took the doll that was hanging from the girl's hand.

"Stop. Crying." He mimed, bobbing the doll's head and blocking his own face with it.

The girl stopped, and there was silence.

"Good. Girl." Alucard mimed again, patting her on the head with the plushy paw. More silence. He put the doll into the girl's arms slowly. He turned to the glaring priest. "Okay, I'm not good with kids." Then he felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down at the little girl.

She started laughing. "Play with me! Play with me! You're funny." Alucard was dumbfounded and Anderson was horrified and the nun in the corner started to laugh as the little boy on her lap wandered over to Alucard and started demanding with the girl.

"Michael want to play!" the little tot chanted again and again.

Alucard didn't say anything.

"Leave her be." said Joshua from a holey couch, as he lay reading a book. Alucard looked over to his direction and suddenly took the book.

"Read something better." he said closing the book with a snap.

"Hey! What's your problem?" the boy jumped up and snatched for the book, missing.

"It's a book about a monster, kids shouldn't read it." He flashed the cover at Anderson. "Right? Priest?"

"Dracula?" Anderson said in surprise and he frowned. "Don't read such an unholy book, boy!"

"But…but I like it." Joshua stammered. The nun looked on in concern.

"What character do you like?" Alucard said with a smile of interest.

"Well, I…." the boy turned to Alucard, uncertain. "I like Dracula." He whispered.

Alucard paused and let out a roaring laugh. "Ha, the boy doesn't even say it's the one who defeats the vampire!"

The boy was startled, as were the others in the room. "He couldn't have been defeated! That's impossible!"

Alucard stopped laughing. "It's true, Hellsing defeated the vampire, but a secret is that even though the book says that Dracula died, he's still alive." Alucard laughed.

"You're just trying to scare me!"

"No." Alucard scoffed. "As if a simple stake in the heart could do the job."

"You've read this book? Then why can't I?"

"Because this thing is more evil than that book." Anderson broke in, looking at Alucard with disgust.

"Hey, boy." Joshua looked up at Alucard as he spoke. "This priest is pretty dense, can you spell Alucard backwards for him?"

"D. R. A. C. U. L. A?" The boy said slowly and then started. "Dracula? As in Count Dracula?"

"And Hellsing…." He looked at the shocked priest.

"You!" Anderson exclaimed.

"No, I'm a little girl. My name just happens to be Alucard." Alucard said with a smile. The nun, caught on and her gasp was erased by the boy.

"Really? That's such a cool name! Way better than Dracula!"

Alucard looked at him oddly. "Take the book." He sighed as the boy took it.

"No." Anderson took it. "It should be burned."

"But that's my only book!" Joshua stood helplessly. Anderson held a book out to Alucard.

"Give him this to read."

Alucard growled. "It's a Bible." He looked at the boy. "Here, the priest wants to trade with you." He left the book in Anderson's hands and went to sit on the other coach with the nun. She looked at him in wonder.

"Dracula? Really?"

Alucard ignored her and a cat flew in his face, making the priest pause. "Play!" the little girl demanded.

"No." he handed the cat back to the girl and she automatically threw it at him again. She laughed. He handed it back more slowly, and she threw it again. This time he kept the cat.

"Noooo! Cleo!" Alucard ignored her, and she climbed on him reaching for the cat. He put it on his head.

"No. You gave Cleo to me. It's mine and I will take it to my dungeon and put it in a coffin."

"Noooooo!" shrieked the little girl and she started to cry. Alucard growled and stuffed the cat's paw into her open mouth.

She shut up and looked astonished at the cat, spitting it out. Alucard laughed, and she ran away with another shriek and sat with Michael who had given up on Alucard and was drawing. Alucard looked at the paper.

"What is wrong with these kids!" he said suddenly, startling the nun and priest. He appeared suddenly by the little boy, making Anderson take a reflexive step towards them. "I do not have a big happy smile and sparkly eyes!" Anderson looked at the picture and frowned at the little stick figure girl that the two children were working on, which sickenly reminded him of Alucard.

Alucard took up a paper and a dull pencil. He held up a chibi of himself with an evil, toothy grin. "This is me." Joshua laughed.

"It's even cuter!"

Alucard's mouth hung open and he looked at the picture. "Cute? Are you stupid?"

The nun chuckled when she saw it. "It is cute."

"A monster cannot be cute!" Alucard glared at the picture.

"Wah! You're not a monster, Allly!" The little girl hugged him.

Alucard's face went blank and he moved the girl away from himself. "I'm going outside, you need more sleep, your brains are becoming stupid."

He left and Anderson looked at the clock and nodded to the nun. "It's time they should be in bed." He went outside with Alucard.

Anderson met Alucard sitting on the steps in the rain. He stared into the darkness. "They're almost here, aren't they."

Alucard nodded and stood up. "They are already here." A handful of vampires stepped into the circle of light from the windows of the orphanage. Alucard took out his silver hand gun and cocked it on his elbow.

"Who the hell are you?" cried a vampire who looked like the leader. Little vampire children sneered at them from the darkness.

"You bastard! It's just as I was told! You transformed these orphans into monsters!" Anderson's hands held a blade between each finger.

"Ha! These orphans aren't so pure anymore! They're blood thirsty beasts now!" He eyed Alucard. "You! Little girl! You're a vampire…" He looked at Anderson's nonexistent reaction. "Are you here to kill them too?"

A shot through the eyes was Alucard's response. There were screams inside and from the vampire childeren at the sound of the bullet. "There's a vampire inside." Alucard said suddenly. "Anderson you get it." Anderson dashed inside, noticing the vampire as soon as Alucard mentioned it.

The little vampires lunged with yells, towards Alucard and he cocked his gun and shot each of them in the head, their little brains scattering about the yard. He went inside after Anderson.

The children were crying along with the nun on one of two beds in a room. A vampire lay bleeding on the floor, decapitated and with a bayonet through his heart.

"All that endurance for nothing." Alucard sighed. "They ended up witnessing it firsthand, and the vampires were nothing but trash…"

The children gawked at him and the massive pistol in his hand. "You….what is this?" whispered Joshua as he clutched Michael and another little boy in his arms.

Alucard turned without a word. "Wait!" Michael held out the picture.

The little girl with the cat couldn't speak, neither could the nun or the other child.

Alucard took the picture. "Thank Anderson, he saved you." He walked out the door. Anderson watched for a moment but forgot Alucard as the little boy hugged him.

Back at the estate, Alucard stood before Integra's desk in his normal form as she looked out the window at the rain. "I assume it went smoothly."

"Yes." He took out a piece of paper.

"What is that?" Integra turned as she heard the rustling as Alucard unfolded it. He smirked as he showed it to her.

"A little boy gives his thanks."

Integra looked at in confusion. Walter laughed in the shadows of the unlit room. Stepping into the moonlight he bent and took a closer look at the drawing. "Is that supposed to be you?"

Integra raised her eye brows. "How?"

Alucard changed his shape. "My point exactly." He took out his picture. "And they called this one cute. It even has fangs."

Walter laughed harder. "This one is cuter! Did a little girl draw it?"

Alucard growled. "Yeah."

Walter continued to laugh and Integra smiled and took the paper. "She was a pretty good artist."

"Walter….I drew that."

There was silence.

"What?"

Alucard's face was blank. "I drew it, and it is not cute."

Alucard opened the door to meet Ceres and Pip standing outside of it, they stopped walking as they heard hysterical laughter inside and they looked at the little girl. "Who are you?" Ceres said with a smile, bending down to Alucard's height.

"They're all morons." Alucard mumbled as he transformed, shocking Pip and Ceres. He fazed through the wall and they immediately inquired to Integra as to 'What the Hell' was going on.

They showed them the first picture by Michael explaining how it was done by an orphan boy, and then they showed the other.

"Ah, so he's mad that children can draw such cute pictures of him?" Pip guessed.

Walter started to laugh again. Integra smiled and pointed to the fanged picture. "He insists that this one is not cute in the least."

"But it's even cuter and it's really good." Ceres tried not to smile.

"It's the one he drew." Silence followed.

"What the Hell?" Pip laughed and slammed his hand on the desk. Ceres was confused.

"Who do you mean by 'he'?"

"Alucard." Walter answered wiping away a tear.

Ceres pointed at the picture, then at the door and started to laugh.

The next night, Integra summoned Alucard and they each showed him a picture of the girl form of himself and the other form. All were extremely cute, and the artists cried out in dismay as the pictures caught on fire and turned to ash.

A week later a letter came asking if Alucard could play, and there was a picture inside. Integra hid it from Alucard in her desk and had to tell the children that Alucard was too busy. Two weeks later, they showed up on Hellsing's door step.

Pip opened the door and broke out laughing. "Who drew the picture?" he demanded right away. Michael raised his hand energetically. Pip smiled and picked him up. "We love that picture."

"Alucard, is he in?" Sister Ruth asked shyly.

Ceres came to the door. "What're all these kids here for?" she whispered in Pip's ear, but smiled.

"We want to play!" The little girl held up Cleo for a moment, but quickly hid the cat in her arms again. "But no one will put Cleo in a dungeon and a coffin, 'cause I've been good and I haven't put Cleo outside."

"Did Master say that?" Ceres asked, with a smile and Pip laughed.

"Master?" The nun asked.

Alucard came to the door, and glared at the kids. They shrunk away in fear except for the little girl. "Hi! Ally told me that you said that if I was good you wouldn't come and snatch Cleo away!" Joshua had his mouth hanging wide open.

"Dracula!" Joshua cried out in amazement.

"I told you that you were stupid kid. Why the hell would you think to call me that?" Alucard growled

"Alucard said that Dracula didn't die in real life, only in the story and now I know why she knew! You must be her brother and that's why she has your name spelled backwards, and this is the Hellsing estate right? The same Hellsing who defeated Dracula!" He smiled. "So cool!"

"Go away!" Alucard demanded, but the kids stormed in and the girl and Joshua jumped on him. Integra walked in and saw Alucard defeated under a pile of children.

"Hey, Joshua, look it's Hellsing's granddaughter, go bother her for a while." Integra was alarmed by what Alucard had said. Joshua ran up to her.

"Wow! You're so cool!"

"It's a freaken zoo." Alucard mumbled and fazed through the floor, astounding the children.

Integra laughed as she realized what was going on. "Alucard, I command that you return."

The children lit up. "Where is she? Ally?"

A moment passed as Walter arrived to hear this and he laughed with Integra, Pip, and Ceres at Alucard's nickname.

Alucard came back. "Where's Ally?" demanded the children. Integra looked at him expectantly and he shifted.

The children were speechless. Then the girl threw the cat at Alucard again. "Play!"

Alucard smirked. "Okay." he said surprising the adults, but he fazed through the floor.

"Ally?" the girl said anxiously.

Alucard returned. "Cleo is taking a nap in the dungeon."

"Noooooooo!" she cried. "I was good! I was good!"

Alucard frowned.

"Cleo?" asked Ceres.

"The cat."

"Where did you put it exactly?" Pip asked with a smile. "In a coffin?"

Alucard scowled at him and Pip laughed as the girl screamed louder. "I'm getting it." He said before Integra could say anything.

"I want to see the dungeon!" Joshua called after him, but Alucard ignored him. He returned with the cat.

Joshua took the stuffed animal. "Whose coffin was it in?"

"Whose?" Alucard raised his eyebrow.

"Was it yours?"

"Yeah…."

"I'll buy you a new one Jessica!" he told the girl and ran out the door. She screamed and ran after him.

Everyone was quiet as the children giggled and joined the others outside.

"Creepy kid." Alucard muttered.

"Is he a fan?" Walter asked.

"He's reading Dracula."

Ceres and Pip both spoke at once. "Are you really Dracula?"

"Yes…" They gawked.

Anderson walked in, startling those of the Hellsing estate, except Alucard who stalked up to him, still in his female form. "You told them how to get here!" he accused the priest with a deathly glare.

"Yes." Anderson said blankly, looking back at the kids running around outside.

"I hate you."

"I thought we had already established that."

"Wait, Alucard." The nun walked up nervously biting her lip. "I wanted to thank you, I never did last time."

"There's no need." Alucard didn't look at her.

"The kids really like you."

Alucard grimaced.

"You were really good with them."

"No. I do not babysit." Alucard glared at her, but she handed him more pictures from the kids.

"Stop!" Integra walked over and took the papers before Alucard could burn them.

"Why can't I burn them?" he huffed as Integra shuffled through them and handed them around.

"There's one of the normal you." Intagra showed him one with glaring eyes and a toothy smile. He smiled.

"Finally, a non cute one." Anderson spoke before Alucard could.

"Out!" Alucard pushed him towards the door. "None of them are cute, damn priest!"

Anderson patted his head, making Alucard and everyone else freeze.

The children cried out in awe as they saw the priest thrown over their heads by the little girl Alucard. They cheered when the priest landed in a crouch.

The nun thanked Alucard again and left and the vampire locked them all out of the estate.

Alucard was called later as Jessica's cat sat on Integra's desk. "She wants you to have it."

Alucard took the cat.

"She said you looked funny with it on your head."

Alucard stormed to the door and was about to phase through. He smirked. "Tell her I'm putting it in its own special coffin in an especially dark dungeon."

Integra laughed as Alucard disappeared. The Hellsing estate seemed less dark than before and Alucard didn't seem to be half of the embodiment of fear that he once was.

Alucard stared in horror as Integra commanded him to watch the orphans when it was the middle of the day. Since when has she had such a sense of humor? He threw himself onto the couch and growled as children piled around him. There was a TV in front of them and Joshua had slipped in a movie, Finding Nemo came on. Alucard was exhausted as it was the middle of the day, and combined with such a mindless movie, he eventually fell asleep. Allowing himself to fall in a deep sleep in fear of blowing up the TV if that damn blue fish started singing again.

Anderson arrived to watch over the children and to supervise the monster, but was shocked to find him sleeping with the younger children curled up next to him. The others were absorbed in the movie they had never seen before.

Joshua had stolen Alucard's hat and glasses, and Anderson snatched them in disgust. He picked up the sleeping children, tossing the items on the couch. He left, ordering the others to follow and dropped them off with the mercenary, Pip giving him a quizzical look. Pip then began to frantically distract the kids from playing with his weapons.

Anderson went back, eying the sleeping Alucard. The paladin bent down in Alucard's face, but the vampire still didn't wake up. Alucard was in his normal shape, so this appeared even stranger in the priest's eyes. "Wake up!" he bellowed, and Alucard punched him in the face.

"Get your ugly face out of mine." He growled and sat up. "Why did you move them?"

"You weren't watching them." Alucard got up. "Where are you off to?"

Alucard walked around Anderson. "I have to watch them."

"Have to? You actually want to."

Alucard gave him a haggard look. "No way in Hell, priest. I want to sleep."

He started for the door again, but was pulled back by the priest. "Anderson…." Alucard was confused as the priest willingly touched his sleeve.

"I dropped them off with your mercenary."

Alucard laughed. "Only here would that be somewhat appropriate." He laughed again, and then quieted. "Anderson, let go."

"Hm? Why vampire? Are you nervous?" Anderson sneered and pulled Alucard against his body. Alucard jerked away but was held firm, and he cursed the priest's inhuman strength.

"No. I don't want you touching me."

"But I'm not touching you." Anderson ran his fingers down to Alucard's waist. "This is touching, if you didn't know." He whispered in Alucard's ear and blew on his neck. Alucard shuddered in disgust.

"Get off of me!" Alucard growled. He couldn't fight Anderson inside Hellsing. It would destroy the building, frighten the children and perhaps harm them and others, and he had given his word that he would not to Integra. He pushed away from Anderson, trying to phase out of his arms, but could not. The cross on Anderson's neck was burning into his back. "Damned priest!" Alucard shouted and he connected with Ceres. Police girl! Wake up! He felt her wake up and paused, in thought. Get Walter and tell him to come here, he's in the library. He felt her acknowledgement and he continued to surveillance her as she started for Walter's direction. She would get to Walter within five to six minutes.

Anderson licked his neck. Alucard fumed and elbowed the priest in the abdomen but found it to be as hard as steel. The priest chuckled darkly and ran his fingers over Alucard's chest and started to unbutton his shirt and then slip off his coat. Alucard almost broke free but was embraced again and crushed against the wall to limit his movements. Anderson brushed his face against Alucard's. "It feels so strange. Your body is dead," he traced the side of Alucard's face with his finger. "but it is still here, moving and breathing." He pressed closer to Alucard, feeling his breaths. "No heartbeat though." The priest placed his hand over Alucard's silent chest and Alucard twitched.

"Stop Anderson. You don't want to be caught doing this do you?" Alucard glared and tried to smirk. Anderson kissed him, roughly gripping his hair. Police girl! Get moving! Alucard yelled at her. She was startled and started to jog, as she was too tired to run and she was avoiding the sun streaming through the windows.

Alucard managed to break the kiss and he hissed at the priest, but Anderson ignored Alucard and kissed him again. Alucard growled as he felt the paladin's hands grope his body and he attempted to bite Anderson's lip, but the priest felt his muscles tense and guessed what he was going to do. Anderson broke the kiss, slightly annoyed. Then he grinned and his eyes sparked. Alucard's own eyes widened in response and his reflex was to try and escape into the wall, but he noted a scripture that was plastered to the wall now. He glared at the sheet and Anderson chuckled, making Alucard snap his head back in his direction.

The priest's lips found the vampire's neck and he nibbled at the sensitive skin, sending a tremor down Alucard's spine. His hand found the vampire's nipple and Alucard gasped at the combination.

Anderson's grin interrupted his task for only a moment and he feasted on the tremors that ran through Alucard's body regularly now, crushing him into the wall.

"Why so quiet, vampire?" his lips brushed Alucard's ear and the priest bit it, making Alucard cry out and then growl as he realized what he had done.

"Get off of me!" Alucard twitched as he felt a tongue outline his ear and then teeth bite into his neck, leaving red-ish blue marks. Anderson's hands pulled away the shirt and began to remove Alucard's pants. Alucard started at the offensive feeling of the larger man's rough hands violating him.

"Nnn!" Alucard kicked at Anderson's leg, but found his leg already restrained by Anderon's own legs. He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth in fury. "Stop!"

Anderson's hands didn't falter, but he removed his lips from the vampire's neck and observed Alucard's face, lust firing in his heart and he leered at the vampire. He worked his hands with a faster rhythm, drinking in Alucard's changing expressions. Hate, frustration, anger, worry…he chuckled as he slowly felt the vampire weaken and some response show in his hands. Alucard knew this and growled, biting his own lip and drawing blood.

"Damn…" Alucard panted, trembling. "Stop it….Anderson….Just stop already, damn it!" His eyes flew open and he glared at the priest, but the strength quickly faded and began to reveal the vampire's rising apprehension and desperation. "Please stop." Alucard whispered, sending a shiver down the paladin's back.

Anderson licked his lips and he loosened and cast off his own shirt. "Not a chance, vampire." He felt that Alucard was hard and wet, and the vampire turned his head away from the priests gloating expression. Color was coming onto Alucard's otherwise stark features.

"I fucking hate you."

Andersons' face went blank.

Alucard felt himself ripped from the wall and forced onto the couch.

Ceres found Walter among the towers of books, and nervously bit her lip. "Um, Walter." She said quickly, this catching the old man's attention.

"What is it Cer…"

"Master needs you to go to the room he was watching the orphans in….it's important and he wants you there right away." She looked upset. "I really think something's wrong."

Walter face became dark. It was unheard of for Alucard to be asking for help….and it didn't seem like it was some outburst about the kids….

Pip broke into the library, rugrats hanging from his arms. "That stupid priest! Dumping all these brats with me!" his miserable expression didn't bring any pity from the orphans. "Where's Alucard? Isn't he sup…"

"ANDERSON?!" Walter and Ceres cried out and dashed out of the room.

Alucard felt the sudden spike of emotion from his fledgling and he connected with her instantly. Don't come, police girl! Only Walter needs to come!

"But!" Ceres said aloud skidding to a stop, making Walter stop too.

DON'T COME! Only Walter! He snapped.

Ceres looked at Walter with despair. "Something's definitely wrong! He's demanding for me to stay away and only for you to go." Walter's eyes widened and they shared their confusion. A moment passed and Walter started towards Alucard again….but the room was on the opposite side of the Hellsing estate. He cursed under his breath.

Alucard changed his form, restricted from escaping, he tried a different tactic. His small body made Anderson even more daunting. "You wouldn't rape a little girl." He tried to sneer, but his lips only managed to twitch.

"I don't care, Alucard." The priests hands ran down his small frame. "I don't care if you look like a man or a woman…remember?" he whispered in the vampire's ear. "You're a monster either way." He licked the ear and felt between the fragile legs.

Alucard whimpered and small hands pushed at the heavy chest. "Please…stop Anderson. You won this time…stop."

"I don't care about winning either." Alucard's large eyes froze with horror and a finger entered.

"Ah!" Alucard shuddered and whimpered again, choosing to stay in his female form…better to be raped by a man as a woman than as another man….

Anderson ran his fingers through Alucard's long hair. The smallness of the body was both cumbersome and pleasing as he felt he completely dominated over the vampire. He kissed Alucard, licking his lips, and withdrew his finger and shifted Alucard's legs and quickly undid his zipper, bringing attention to his bulge.

Alucard's eyes widened in pure terror.

"NO! NO! STOP IT!" he pushed desperately at Anderson, but his strength was drained and he was exhausted. Anderson only smiled. "NO! ANDERSON! STOP!"

Alucard screamed as pained erupted and blurred his vision. Blood tears ran down his face and his fingers dug into the priest's skin. A sob shook his small body with despair and loathing. Anderson was rough and unmerciful even as he saw the virgin blood that was drawn from Alucard…it only made his ecstasy increase.

Walter saw the door as he skidded and turned the corner and he continued down the hallway, but his steps became leaden and he stopped. Anderson was seen walking towards him, marks of blood on shirt. "You!" Walter's voice caught in his throat. "What did you do with Alucard?" he glared at the priest who chuckled.

"This is my own blood…don't worry." He left Walter behind who tried to decide between killing the priest, which he regrettably doubted he could do in his old age, and going in to see what had become of Alucard. He went to the door and hesitated. The first thing he noticed was the deathly silence, then the pile of clothes by the wall. He rushed to the clothes and picked up the all too familiar red coat.

"Alucard?" he turned around, not seeing or hearing Alucard he crossed the carpet and continued to survey the room. His heart stopped as he recognized the small figure of Alucard's younger female form.

He walked over to the couch, his steps slowed by his disbelief. The figure was naked, blood on its leg, and crushing itself into the back of the couch so he couldn't see the face. He couldn't bring himself to speak, so he reach out and touched the thin, shivering shoulder.

The cold shocked him and Walter regained his senses. He draped the coat over Alucard and pulled him away from the couch and took him into his arms. He let Alucard keep his silence and just shiver in his arms as blood from his eyes rolled down his cheeks. Eventually Alucard stopped and he sat up suddenly, clutching his coat around his shoulders, but his forceful, power dripping demeanor was present.

"I'm fine."

"Alucard…."

"I'm fine Walter. Nothing happened."

"Alucard!" Walter stood up as Alucard walked to his clothes that seemed pitiful piled in the corner. Alucard's pride burned in his eyes as his shoulders shivered.

"Nothing happened…and if anything did…" he looked defiantly at Walter. "Why would I care?"

"Alucard!" Walter yelled again as the vampire disappeared through the open door and phased through a wall in the hallway.

Walter shook with fury and the vase on the dresser fell in a cascade of water and shards of glass that scattered on the floor or rode with the flow of water. Water dripped from the wood, long after Walter had disappeared.

He looked for Pip and learned that Anderson had left with the children already. When he walked away, Pip couldn't suppress a shiver. "Damn…"

"Sir Integra."

Integra started and looked up, relieved to see Walter. She looked him over with alarm.

"Walter…what is it?"

His distant glare intimidated her.

"You ordered Alucard to not attack or use any physical force against anyone within the Hellsing estate unless that individual intended to kill someone who was a part of the Hellsing organization or under their protection…am I right?"

"Y…yes." Integra collected her composure and folded her hands. Walter's appearance was disturbing…almost as cold as a vampire. "That is true Walter."

"I think we can trust Alucard's judgment enough to believe that he would not massacre our people or anyone who was not a threat. I want to suggest allowing Alucard to have the ability to determine when it is appropriate to attack or defend."

Multiple reasons against doing this flashed through her mind, but none of these thoughts registered as she stared at Walter.

"I also suggest that we stop permitting enemies to enter the Hellsing estate…I am specifically reminding you that the Vatican is not our ally."

Integra jolted. "What did Anderson do?" her voice was somewhat raised. "Walter! What is this about?"

"This does address an issue involving ….that priest."

Integra was shocked by the increase in antipathy in her butler's eyes. She could only wait with tacit dread.

"Because Alucard could not protect himself…" he stopped, gritting his teeth.

Integra was horrified. "What happened to Alucard?" she stood up violently.

Walter closed his eyes…grimacing. "Anderson raped Alucard."

There was a moment of silence. "What did you…" she couldn't finish.

"He raped Alucard."

There was a loud thud and Walter's eyes flew open. Integra had collapsed into her chair.

"My God." She whispered. Memories of the past few weeks and her new discoveries about Alucard's personality rose to the surface of her mind. "Why?"

"He either guessed or figured out that Alucard wouldn't be able to attack him for…an assault of that nature."

Integra hung her head and then caught it in her hands. "Oh my God…" she was quiet.

"Integra Sir…"

"Yes! Yes of course he can!" she jerked up, sitting up straight. "He can defend and attack whenever he feels that it is appropriate."

"Walter…" she continued quietly after some hesitation. "What should I do…I mean…Alucard…"

"Leave him alone." Walter said immediately. "Let him sleep. It's the best thing for him right now."

Integra bit her lip but couldn't argue.

"Damn it."

Alucard didn't appear that night, greatly distressing Ceres who had no idea what was going on. The next night he emerged and Integra froze when she saw him enter her office, though the act itself was not out of the ordinary. He was quiet and a chill that creped across her skin emitted from him.

"Alucard." She said softly.

His eyes narrowed. "It's nothing. You should forget it, I already have."

"No, Alucard." Her voice was heavy and sad. "That's impossible."

"Master…" Alucard warned. "I'm fine."

"No you're not. You'll have to live with this for the rest of your life. You can't possibly…"

"Master!" he warned again.

"…be okay. Alucard, what was done to you was horrible and I promise you that it won't happen again. I've made sure to forbid Anderson…"

"Master!" Alucard almost glared at her.

"…from being able to enter the Hellsing estate and the same goes for any Vatican priest. And you can defend yourself now no matter what, so you don't have to wor…."

"SHUT UP!" Alucard roared, shocking Integra and Ceres and Pip who could hear his voice as it traveled down the hall. "I'm fine, Master." He said more quietly and he went to the wall. "Just forget it….Goodnight Master." He phased through the wall.

The door creaked open and Pip and Ceres peered in.

"Was that…did…?" Ceres mumbled nervously.

"Was that Alucard? He actually told you to shut up?" Pip asked for both himself and Ceres.

"Yes…." She was silent.

They took this as a command to leave. The nights grew longer and colder.

"M…Master." Ceres hesitantly looked at her Master. They had just eradicated the last of a horde of ghouls and were leaving the forsaken church.

"What?" he didn't turn or react in any way, and for a moment Ceres thought his words had only been a figment of her imagination.

"Master…are you okay?" Then she began hurriedly, "You haven't been yourself. You're so quiet and I was just worried."

Ceres saw Alucard smirk for the first time in days. "I'm fine."

She paused. "Alright, I'm glad you are Master."

The silence ensued, but was much lighter than before and Ceres smiled, a little more content. Suddenly a deep chuckle shattered her peace. Anderson walked towards them from the opposite side of the corridor.

"Well, hello vampires…how are you?" he chuckled again and Ceres started at his change in character. He wasn't full of anger and hate…he was somewhat smug even and possibly happy to see them. No he was definitely happy that they were there. Ceres noticed her Master's body become rigid.

"What are you doing here? The vampire's been taken care of…." He growled darkly, animosity swirling in his red eyes. "Take a single step closer and I'll kill you."

Anderson stopped and grinned at the vampire, taking a deliberate step forward. Alucard blew a hole through his heart and Anderson stumbled but regained his balance as the hole closed. Alucard reopened it and went to shoot again, but the priest started to move and became a blur. Both commenced in dodging bullets and bayonets.

Ceres backed against the wall to avoid being caught in the crossfire. Their movement distorted their words so she couldn't understand what they were saying.

"My dear Alucard. Whatever could have made you so humorlessly angry?" a crazed grin cut across the priests face. "Are you angry because I slept with you? I know I stole your virginity…"

A bullet shattered Anderson's smile and he spit out the bullet after a moment and his grin reformed.

"Why don't you have anything to say to me?" his eyes sparked as his bayonet sliced up through Alucard's arm and he leaned his face into the vampire's, halting them both for a moment. "I'm sure you missed me."

Ceres jolted as she heard this and saw the malicious glee that warped Anderson's face and Alucard's utter revulsion and loathing.

Anderson jumped back and his heel hit the wall. Bullets trailed after him as he ran down its length and Ceres shrieked as they came towards her and she closed her eyes and covered her head. She was met with sudden silence as the bullets stopped. She sheepishly opened her eyes and cried out as she saw Anderson towering over her, bayonets ready to cut through her heart and neck.

"Why stop, Alucard? Do you want me to kill her?"

Alucard growled. "What is it you want?"

"Well, you of course." Anderson laughed at the vampire's look of hatred.

Ceres fidgeted and edged away from Anderson, but he only moved the blade closer to her without removing his eyes from Alucard. Both of them started as Alucard faded into a mass of spreading mist. The guns clattered to the ground and Ceres flinched at the sharp sound, and then gasped as she was pulled away from the priest by the mist that slowly obscured that area. Anderson growled and glared at the mist with slight apprehension. "What the hell is this Alucard?"

The mist swirled and condensed to form a cloaking darkness. Hundreds of red eyes erupted and a form took place. A huge hell hound grinned with ebony, dagger-like teeth and Anderson started in surprise and Ceres trembled, watching from a distance as the hound tore limbs from the paladin and strewn them about the hall. An arm struck the floor and bounced to her foot. The hound continued, breaking any bayonets that traveled close to it. Blood dripped from the walls now. Alucard would have continued if he had not heard Ceres scream in terror. The grin from the dog disappeared and the darkness withdrew to form Alucard who watched coldly at the bloody mess before him struggle to take a human shape.

"I win." Alucard whispered and he flicked his eyes to Ceres, wordlessly telling her it was time to leave. Her legs made her stumble as they continued to shake, but Alucard tried to ignore this and they left the church behind them in silence.

Ceres trembled at the memory as she stood before Integra's desk.

"You met Anderson?" Integra's face was twisted with pain. "What happened?"

"He..my…my Master…he.." she stuttered and stopped. "What happened…that day when Anderson was alone with Master?" Integra's mouth twitched. "He was filled with so much…hatred and anger…and Anderson acted so strange like he was reveling in some kind of accomplishment against my Master. He wasn't his usual, cold and hate powered self he was when they usually fought before."

"I don't know if I should tell you…but I want to know what happened tonight, Ceres." Integra's voice lacked its habitual vigor.

"Master…" she paused. "He tore Father Anderson apart." Her eyes widened as she spoke and Integra mirrored her horror.

"Dead?" she whispered.

"No, he left Father Anderson….alive for the most part…." She shuddered. "He couldn't even be recognized as a living thing."

Walter's monocle glinted in the streaming moonlight and his dark smile shone. "Excellent."

"Walter?" Ceres turned to him, shocked.

"That man deserves to die."

"Walter! That's enough!" Integra glared at him. Walter fell silent and lost his smile.

"What happened between them?" Ceres demanded weakly.

"You don't need to know…" Integra gravely lit a cigar and the slowly burning embers lit her blazing blue eyes. "Let us just pray that this passes."

But Integra knew that praying would do nothing. The next day she called Maxwell.

"Sow? Why do you wish to speak to me?" his voice was cold and mocking at the same time. Integra's eyes narrowed at the name he had taken to addressing her with.

"This concerns Father Anderson."

Silence. "Oh, really?"

"Tell him to stay away from us." She said darkly.

"What do you mean?" all humor dropped from his voice. "Sow, what are you saying? Anderson is at the orphanage your vampire interfered with."

"The orphans have visited Hellsing since and Father Anderson showed up shortly after them on each occasion."

"Of course. How the hell could he leave orphans at the mercy of a protestant sow and your damned vampires?" Integra could sense his anger and disapproval of the orphan's visits.

"Yes, but after this he interfered with one of our missions."

"Then we're even, Sow. Don't call me for idiotic reasons like these."

Integra growled. "I know for a fact that Anderson was literally ripped to shreds last night because I had to remove the restrictions on Alucard's power because of your priest."

"WHAT?" Maxell roared and the phone seemed to reverberate. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, SOW?"

"He…" she stopped. "Anderson gave a legitimate reason for Alucard to kill him, but Alucard didn't and granted the priest with his worthless life."

"Sow! Control your damn monster! You can't possibly be stupid enough to let him roam free! And there is nothing that could legitimize any of this! Fucking Protestant whore!"

"MAXWELL!" Integra yelled, silencing the ranting man. "This is because Alucard listens to me and you can't control Anderson in the least! I ordered him to never attack unless a life was threatened in the Hellsing estate and to especially take care to not fight with Anderson specifically, because the orphans were there!" she took a breath. "AND YOUR FUCKING PRIEST TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS!"

Maxwell was silent, stunned and confused. "What are you bitching about? So what if your monster got beaten up a bit. He deserves much more and by the description of his assault on Anderson, he's fine."

"He is not fine." Her voice was quiet and a shiver ran down Maxwell's spine.

"So what? All the better!" he yelled defiantly.

"Your priest did something revolting and unholy and probably damned his sorry soul to Hell."

"What? What is this, Sow? What are you…?" Maxwell began to rant again.

"He assaulted my vampire."

"Yes. I've gathered that." Maxwell hissed. "Stupid slut. You think…"

"He fucking RAPED him Maxwell!"

There was a deafening silence.

"W..wh..at?" Maxwell whispered to himself, but Integra heard.

"I want him to leave Alucard alone." She demanded and Maxwell said nothing. "Alucard had done nothing. He was actually with the children during the day, because I had decided to humor them and let them annoy Alucard. Anderson found Alucard asleep and he took the children to one of my men. He then bloody raped him! Within the Hellsing estate! When we were at terms of some kind of peace! It's all on a surveillance tape, Maxwell! I trust him for one moment and this happens! The Vatican can never be our allies, I had been mistaken."

"You're a lying, fucking bitch." The phone hung up on her.

A few days passed. He was told that a package had come from Hellsing and no one knew what to do with it. They were too afraid to inspect it, almost expecting a vampire to emerge from the three inch by three inch box. With dread, Maxwell knew what it was…remembering his phone call with the Sow.

There were two undersized CDs and he slipped the one marked number one into his laptop and cringed when a little screen popped up, preparing for the worst. But the worst didn't come. It was a detailed look at the entrance room of the Hellsing estate, and a gruff man with a long, messy braid and the blond female vampire were seen answering the door. Maxwell was startled by the emptiness he could feel in the house and he remembered that Hellsing had been attacked by an army of ghouls not too long ago and there had only been two survivors….

His eyes widened as he saw the children and then Alucard appear and the children actually on top of the vampire. He was disgusted by the sickeningly innocent video, especially when Alucard turned into a cute little girl. Maxwell caught his breath when Anderson touched Alucard on the head, and was left in silence as the movie ended prematurely with Alucard throwing the priest out of the house and the nun leaving.

Blue eyes narrowed and Maxwell gritted his teeth, glaring at the next tape that seemed to burn with Hellfire on his desk. He switched the tapes. First he was sickened once again by the innocence of the vampire's behavior with the children and their interaction with him even after he fell asleep…just as the Sow had claimed. His stomach lurched when Anderson walked in and the children were removed. The movie had been prepared to skip a few minutes and Anderson walked through the door a few seconds after he left….

Maxwell was horrified and couldn't even blink. This spell was broken by his gasp when he saw the butler come into the room. The recordings were quite advanced and they provided a detailed picture and sound. The vampire's whispers were even caught and the scream still haunted Maxwell's mind. Now he felt like throwing up as the old man held the figure that appeared as a trembling little girl that Maxwell recognized from the first tape.

"I'm fine." Maxwell started at the voice.

"Alucard…." The butler spoke, but was ignored by the vampire.

"I'm fine Walter. Nothing happened."

He heard the protest and watched Alucard gather his clothes.

"Nothing happened…and if anything did…" he looked defiantly at Walter. "Why would I care?"

Maxwell ripped the CD from his computer and took the other one lying on his desk and flung them into the fire.

"GOD DAMNIT!" he yelled pulling on his hair and slamming his face into his desk.

He later called Anderson to have him come back. The next day was brought only after a sleepless night and Maxwell was emotionless as he stared at the priest.

"Anderson…you have to explain to me what you did to the Hellsing monster."

Anderson started with surprise, then chuckled. "So you know."

Any doubt was erased from Maxwell and he snapped, throwing an empty glass that broke across Anderson's face. "It's not funny, Anderson!"

Anderson was in shock and blood poured from his forehead. "Why do you care?"

"That was disgusting! REVOLTING! AND GODDAMNED UNHOLY ANDERSON!" his voice rose as he glared daggers into the wide eyed priest.

"It was justice."

"No! Anderson!" his face contorted with abhorrence. "You didn't do that for justice! You fucking enjoyed it!"

"What are you talking about?" Anderson's face was troubled.

"Hell, Anderson!" Maxwell's hand flew to his hair and then slammed on his desk. "There was a tape! I saw the whole damn thing! I also heard every goddamn word!"

The priest was silent, horror began to emerge on his features.

"Get out Anderson….and make sure you never encounter that damn vampire again." He sat down with his head in his hands and after a moment Anderson left.

"Fuckin' Hell." Maxwell whispered and he looked at the phone and ignored it. He gritted his teeth. "Damn it, Anderson."

Her office was ablaze with the setting sun and Integra frowned when her serenity was broken by her phone. She picked it up. "Hello, this is…"

"I know who it is." A quiet voice interrupted her.

"Maxwell?" she sat up. "You would actually call me?"

"I did more than that. Your guards won't let me through."

Integra gasped and flew to the window, upsetting her chair. She saw the white hair at her gate.

"Oh my God. I'll be right there."

Maxwell was surprised by her response and a little uneasy. He was even more alarmed when he saw her run to the gate and had her guards let her out to speak with him.

"Why..?" he began.

"Alucard wakes up around this time."

His face went blank. "The sun's still up."

"He wakes up early." Integra glanced behind her, biting her lip.

"You think he'll attack me?" Maxwell said, alarmed.

"No." she turned to him. "He just doesn't know that I've told you."

Maxwell couldn't help but feel odd talking about the vampire as if it were a human…a person.

"I…saw." He said simply and Integra flinched and then nodded. "I also talked to Anderson." She froze in disbelief.

"He was disgusting. This is not for your vampire…I don't care about him. I want to correct Anderson before he embarrasses us further, and I told him to…as you put it 'stay away'."

There was a pause. He began to turn to his waiting car.

"Thank you."

The quiet voice startled him and he looked at her. He ignored her and was about to turn around again when he was overcome with dread. Integra turned and gasped.

"Alucard." Her face was covered by a shadow cast by Alucard, and it twisted with dismay.

"Master…" he said quietly. "What did you do?"

Maxwell was shocked. He remembered the monster he had met at the museum and couldn't compare it to what he saw now. This vampire…he lacked the cocky grin and overpowering demeanor….he was…emotionless. Maxwell almost threw up, startling Alucard.

"What did you do?" he said louder, his eyes wide. "I told you to burn the tapes."

"I…Anderson won't bother us anymore." She said firmly.

Alucard looked at Maxwell's pale face and his own somehow paled when it held no color to begin with and his eyes were wide, making Maxwell even more nauseous as he recognized the expression. "You had no right to do that." He said quietly and disappeared.

"Alucard!" Integra began but decided against it.

"Thank you, but I must insist that you leave now Maxwell."

Maxwell nodded, still feeling sick, and he went to his car and let the driver take him away.

Integra bit her lip and walked to the gate, staring at the front doors of Hellsing as she waited for the gate to open. "I'm just trying to help you." She whispered.

Maxwell stared out the window as the car sped along and saw his own horror as a thought crossed his mind. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" a female voice answered.

"Is Father Anderson there?" he said quickly.

"No…he packed and left earlier today. Who is this?" he hung up. Anderson had left the orphanage…and he had not been told to. Maxwell cursed under his breath.

"Take me back." He ordered his driver and he called a different number.

Integra had not yet entered the house when she noticed some commotion as Maxwell showed up again. She retreated to the gate.

"What is…?"

"I called." Maxwell showed her his phone. "Anderson's missing."

The gates were ordered open and both walked towards Integra's office.

"Why are you sure that he would come here?"

"I didn't tell him to leave the orphanage and the nun said he packed his stuff."

Integra gave him a confused look.

"Anderson doesn't have any belongings…he only has his weapons." He stated stiffly. "He was said to have left this morning…so he could be here at any time, and frankly I'm surprised he isn't already here."

The windows were dark blue as the last rays of light faded.

Integra halted.

"What?" Maxwell said.

"He could already be here."

"What do you mean? Wouldn't…"

"Alucard has been asleep all day." She turned to a different direction and they were soon at a staircase.

"Alucard!" she repeated four or five times as they made their way down the steps. She picked up her pace. "He should have answered right away."

They made their way down the dark corridors of the dungeon, and Maxwell was surprised by how clean the air was.

"Alucard!" her voice echoed back to her.

Busy.

She gasped. "Damn it. He's here." She started to run.

Maxwell growled, cursing Anderson. He saw a wall at the end of a corridor when they made a turn, and noises traveled from the last door on the left.

Integra clutched at the handle, but it burned her hands and she cried out.

"ANDERSON!" Maxwell yelled, his voice deafening as it echoed.

The room became silent.

"OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR!"

More silence.

Maxwell gritted his teeth and gripped the handle. It did not burn him, though it was uncomfortably hot and he managed to turn the knob. He dashed into the room, followed by Integra. Their breaths were taken away.

Both were covered in blood. Alucard wasn't using any of his magic and Integra noticed the scriptures around the room and those still trickling from the door. There was significant damage to Alucard's clothes as well as wounds, while Anderson only sustained wounds.

"You!" Maxwell panted slightly, as did Integra. "Stop this!" he growled and he walked to Anderson who towered over him. "You do exactly the opposite of whatever I ask!" his frustration broke through. He stood before Anderson, not noticing that he was exposing his back to Alucard who could've killed him at any moment.

"What are you doing?" Anderson's outburst startled Maxwell and he glowered at the priest. "You seem to be protecting these damned heretics!"

"You are the one in the wrong here!"

There was silence.

"Anderson…" he said quietly. "You will leave. Now." Fury sparked in Anderson's eyes. Maxwell and Integra gasped as the priest lashed out at him. But the fist never met its target as Maxwell was pulled out of the way by Alucard, inspiring Maxwell's initial gasp.

Anderson froze, as if he had been slapped across the face. He looked blankly at the scene before him and turned. The scriptures fell from the walls, towards Anderson who stared at the floor as they obscured his figure and he disappeared.

The room was quiet. Alucard let go of Maxwell's coat and stepped away to look at the damage. Maxwell's eyes followed him for a moment and noticed as the monster's face twisted as he saw a deep scratch on his coffin.

"Damn it." Alucard cursed. His eyes flared with undecipherable emotions.

"Maxwell." Integra said softly. "Let's go."

They left without a word.

"I can replace the coffin…" Maxwell began quietly.

"No…I'm sorry." Integra said with deep eyes. "It can't be."

"What?" Maxwell spoke normally now.

"He's always been protective of it." She bit her lip, a dent forming as the action became more frequent. "He claims he was born and shall die in it."

Maxwell frowned. "That's a bit…."

"It's not creepy….But that was my first reaction too."

Maxwell looked at her when she used the simple word.

"He had it long before he came to Hellsing." She paused. "It's the only thing he could keep after my grandfather…"

There was silence.

"I'm…" Maxwell began difficultly. "…sorry."

Integra flinched but tried to hide her surprise.

"Thank you again, Maxwell."

He watched the window again as the car left Hellsing. He stopped the driver once again when he spotted Anderson waiting for him on the side of the road. The priest got into the car.

"I'm sorry." Anderson said quietly.

Maxwell couldn't feel anger, he only felt exhausted. "So am I."

COMIC RELIEF

Alucard was in his female form because it was the only one that looked good in holiday attire and he was adorned with red and white fuzz. He was balancing precariously on the top of a ladder on his tippy toes, straining to put the star on the top of the Christmas tree. Anderson looked on silently watching the vampire's distracted and determined face. He took two steps up the ladder and plucked the star from Alucard's hands, leaning on him slightly, setting the star in its place. Alucard started and pushed the priest away, losing his balance and upsetting the ladder. Both of them fell with a crash into a box labeled FRAGILE and THIS SIDE UP.

Walter ran in and glared at the two who sat in a sea of shattered ornaments. Alucard was actually still in the box, though one side had been torn by Anderson.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, mainly glaring at the priest. He didn't approve of inviting the priest along with Maxwell and the orphans to celebrate Christmas with them. Especially Anderson, whom he had still yet to forgive.

"Decorating the tree." Alucard surprised both of them and he climbed out of the box, dusting off flecks of blood and glass.

"Ugh." Walter groaned as he surveyed the damage. Only half of the ornaments remained.

"Those were the leftovers Walter." The vampire picked up the ladder, and the proportions of his body and the ladder disturbed the mind as he carried it on his shoulder out of the room. "Anderson can clean up the rest."

Anderson fumed and Walter grinned. "Do a good job, else the children might cut themselves." He practically sneered. "The broom and dust pan are in there." He pointed at a door and left the frustrated priest to curse under his breath and storm over to the closet.

He rummaged fruitlessly in the cramped space. Alucard huffed behind him, making him pause and he was surprised as the vampire squeezed past him and instantly revealed the broom and dust pan. He squeezed past the priest again and started to clean the mess with ease.

"I thought I was supposed to do that."

"I'm better at it." Alucard didn't look up.

"No." Anderson said crossly.

"Yes." Alucard smirked, making the paladin's heart jump. He couldn't remember the last time the vampire had acted so…within his character.

Anderson growled and walked over to the vampire. "I'll do it."

"No."

Ceres walked past an entrance into the room, leading two of the children, but back pedaled as she saw Anderson and Alucard, alone together.

"I said I'll do it."

"No."

"Why are you so difficult?" he pulled at his hair to control himself.

"I'm bored." Alucard thrust the broom into the priest's stomach, making him cough. The dustpan was full on the ground. "I'll get the trash bag."

He disappeared with Anderson glaring after him. He muttered to himself as he cleaned.

"Wow."

Anderson started at Ceres' voice and turned around.

"I haven't seen him act like that in ages." She smiled and walked away with the children tugging on her hands.

Anderson frowned and kept the frown as Alucard entered.

"What?" Alucard stopped.

"Nothing." He returned to sweeping.

The room rung with the clinks of broken glass. Alucard left the bag and returned to the kitchen. He watched Walter ice a cake for a while and then got bored and wandered around, attracted to a room where Ceres was playing some simple Christmas songs on the piano. The children played board games or drew on the floor. He plopped down next to Ceres, swinging his feet as they dangled from the bench.

"Master?" she started.

The paladin sighed as he lugged the trash bag into the kitchen and found Walter. He put the bag in a trash can and walked over to the butler with dread. "Where are the children?"

Walter looked at him sharply. "Follow the sound of the piano. But Ceres is playing it in there…make sure you don't rape her."

"Shut up." Anderson snapped in disgust and he left.

He soon heard the music and paused. It was exceptional, but it wasn't Christmassy in the least. Strange vampire…Anderson thought to himself. He entered the room and raised his eyebrows as he saw the blond on the ground playing a board game with the children. He looked at the piano and found Alucard.

He decided to leave them alone and he retreated back towards the kitchen and growled as he found the butler coming in his direction.

"What? Found too much temptation?" Walter glared at him.

"You're disgusting." Anderson's eyes narrowed.

"No. You are."

"Well, I see we're all getting along nicely." Integra made both of them tear their eyes from one another. Walter nodded.

Maxwell accompanied her, along with Pip. The other Wild Geese had left to hit the city. The music drifted towards them as it became quiet.

"Who is that?" Integra blinked.

"It's Miss Victoria…" Walter said, just as awed.

"Really? I never knew she was so good." Pip started to follow the music, leading the others.

"It is good." Maxwell admitted.

"That's not her." Anderson said, making them stop.

"What?" Walter said, glaring at him. "Of course it is. I saw her playing in there myself."

"And I was just in there a few moments ago." Anderson said coldly to the butler. "She wasn't playing the piano. She's playing a game with the kids on the ground."

"Which of the children could it be then?" Maxwell said, interested.

"It's Alucard."

The group went to the room and saw the little figure of Alucard perched on the bench, his fingers dancing across the piano without any music sheets before him.

"Alucard?" Integra made Alucard stop and he turned around.

"I didn't know you could play the piano. Why didn't you play before?" She recalled the ten years of silence she had heard from the piano.

"I haven't played for a while."

"I haven't heard you play either." Walter said, staring at the vampire incredulously.

"Abraham didn't like it." Alucard stated simply and he went to move away from the piano.

"Abraham van Hellsing?" Walter started.

"There aren't too many men by that name that I've met." He slipped off of the bench.

"Hey, but I liked it, Master." Ceres called from the floor. The children chimed in with her.

"I'm done." He sat down with Jessica and she cried out in delight as he drew Ceres, when he saw that she had been drawing her.

"I've been alive for a while, so I tend to pick some things up." He held up the perfect, photograph-like drawing of his fledgling. Ceres cried out in delight, echoing Jessica.

"How old are you?" Pip and Maxwell broke in and there was an awkward silence as the too looked at each other.

"I'm close to six hundred. I've been dead for 523 years."

Integra coughed and several similar reactions were heard from those who were over six years old.

"You're so old!" Joseph yelled out from the couch in the corner. He was reading Dracula again.

"Thanks kid." Alucard said sarcastically.

"How old?" Jessica asked. "I didn't hear."

"Guess." Alucard sat in a chair.

"Really really old….so you must be…twenty five."

"If that's really old, I must be ancient." Alucard smirked. He looked at Integra. "So you're really really old, Master?"

She glared at him.

"Jessica, you're dumb." Joseph said and the little girl howled.

"Someone get…" Alucard sat up, remembering. He faded through the chair and came back. He threw the cat at her.

"Cleo?"

"Yeah. I put her in a coffin like I promised."

Joseph had already commenced the chase and the two raced around the room.

"That cat is the embodiment of chaos." Alucard laughed, surprising Ceres and the others.

"Wait!" Jessica stopped and Joseph dodged her and ran into a bookcase. She brought the cat to Alucard. "What's this?" she pointed to the ribbon.

Alucard grimaced. "Don't take that off."

"Aw…that's so cute." Pip couldn't resist, but stopped as he saw Alucard's serious face.

"Just leave it on…"

She took off the bow and the cat's head fell to the floor. She screamed.

"Alucard!" Integra cried. "Why did you do that?"

"It wasn't me!" he yelled over the screams and Joseph's maniacal laughs. He pointed at Anderson. "He's the one who stabbed a freaken' hole in my coffin!"

"What?" Maxwell butted in. "It was only a scratch."

"From you're side." Alucard scoffed. "There was a bayonet handle sticking out the other side!"

"Wait! How'd that happen?" Ceres got up.

There was silence.

"Oh yeah…you slept through all of that?" Alucard looked away.

"What happened? You two got in a fight again or something?" Ceres continued.

Maxwell gave her a weird look and glanced at Integra who shook her head.

"Yeah….the moral is…don't blame the vampire for decapitating little girls' stuffed animals." Alucard said conclusively and he picked up the cat and retied the bow. "It won't last long so get someone to fix it."

"You two fought?" Joseph's eyes dazzled.

"We do that a lot." Alucard said detachedly.

"Who won?"

Alucard looked at the beaming boy. "No one."

"Aw! Someone had to have won!" Joseph demanded.

Anderson was quiet.

"Oh yeah? Okay." Everyone looked at Alucard and he picked up the sniveling Jessica. "She won."

"What!" Joseph began to yell about how that was impossible, but Alucard ignored him and brought the little girl to the piano and started to play. Joseph shut up and went back to his couch grumpily.

The others were quiet for a bit. Walter had found out about the fight from Integra but the others hadn't been told.

"What is this about? How did you know?" Pip said quietly, looking at Maxwell.

"I was there."

"You were in Master's room?" Ceres said, taken aback. "I'm not even allowed in there. And his coffin had a bayonet in it?" she whispered feverously, glancing at Alucard. "I thought he would've freaked if anything ever happened to it."

"Why?" Anderson said, reminding the others that he was still there.

"He's just…extremely protective of it." Ceres whispered.

"I can hear you." Alucard's voice came to them and Ceres jolted."When are we eating?"

The children erupted in a chorus of 'I'm hungery's. Walter sighed and went back to the kitchen. "It'll be ready soon enough."

"Fine. Snow." Alucard got up.

"What?" Integra said, watching Alucard lead the kids to the front door.

"It's Christmas, and there's snow."

The perfect snow soon became pocketed with little footprints. Integra and Maxwell remained inside, but Pip and Ceres jumped into the developing snowball fight. Alucard was building a stack of snowballs by himself.

Anderson's breath clouded around his face as he overlooked the activity. A snowball struck him in the eye, the cold stabbing into his exposed skin and he shivered. He glared at Alucard who threw another. The priest dodged and grinned. He grabbed a loose chunk of snow and tossed it so it would land on the vampire's head, but he moved out of the way and the snow crumpled on the ground.

The battle ensued as the two held their own separate battle. Eventually the children stopped their fight to admire them and cheered and booed for a side of their choice. The yelling lured Integra outside and as soon as she appeared Alucard threw a snowball that hit her in the stomach. She glared at him with a slight smile and tossed a snowball from an abandoned fort. Thus the battle expanded and enveloped the entire company.

Walter came to fetch them, Maxwell following, and he went back to grab a stack of towels. No one came from the snow un-powdered. Alucard walked inside, leaving the towel hanging over his head.

"I want to sit here!" "No me! Me!" The children squabbled over seats for a moment. Alucard sat in a chair and Joseph and Jessica claimed chairs next to him. Ceres sat near Pip while Integra sat at one end and Maxwell sat at the other end. Walter was next to Integra and Anderson sat near Maxwell.

"You don't want any, Ally?" Jessica had Cleo on her lap and she looked at Alucard's empty plate. Alucard poured himself some wine.

"This is enough for me."

"Is that blood?" Maxwell, Anderson, and Pip coughed when Joseph spoke up.

"No. It's wine." Alucard looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Why do you drink that?"

"I like it."

"So you don't really drink blood?" Joshua persisted.

"I do, but it's not the best table conversation, kid." Alucard glanced at those who seemed a little nervous about the subject.

"Hm…" Joshua seemed ready to continue, so Alucard stuffed a fork full of turkey into the boy's mouth. "Mmmm! Yummy!" Joshua began to eat, and Walter smiled to himself in the corner.

"Good." Alucard took a sip of wine and then choked on it when Joshua began to talk again.

"I wanted to ask you something."

Alucard eyed him. "Fine." He took another sip.

"About Mina."

Alucard pounded his chest and coughed as the wine went down the wrong tube. "You know that book's not completely realistic. Some things are more fabricated to make it more…popular." Alucard put his glass down. "Mina didn't exist."

"But the others?" Joshua's excited voice rung in Alucard's ears and he winced.

"The story's just a bit different. Hellsing was a vampire hunter and he had a small band of people who helped him and they managed to find my coffin…you know the rest." He ran his finger around the rim of his glass. "I don't particularly like that story…" he hinted for the child to stop, but Joshua began another question. Pip interrupted him and flat out told the kid to think of a new subject.

"So you two never fought…like really fought?" Joshua said discreetly.

"No." Alucard took his glass again.

Anderson watched with interest, and glared at the butler as he noticed Walter's disapproving stare. He turned his eyes to his plate, angrily, and he hesitated about eating as his appetite faded.

Dinner was finished and, warm and satisfied, the children fell asleep as Ceres played the piano. Integra, Pip, and Maxwell remained at the table while Walter cleared it. Meanwhile, Alucard and Anderson separately roamed the mansion.

Alucard was perched on the roof, and across the estate, Anderson noticed his silhouette in the moon light. He made his way towards Alucard and paused on the roof, looking at Alucard's small back.

"If you want to enjoy the air you can go anywhere to do that, but if you intend to watch the moon, the roof is always the best." Alucard spoke to the priest without turning around. "What do you want Anderson?"

"Nothing." He watched Alucard, but, catching some slight apprehension from the vampire, he looked at the moon and crossed the distance between himself and the vampire. "I take it you're here for the moon?" Anderson's breaths came as puffs of smoke and he shivered slightly.

"Anderson, its freezing out here." He tried to hint at the priest's shivering. "Go inside."

"Want to get rid of me so soon?" he leered.

"Stay if you want to freeze." Alucard returned his attention to the moon.

"Why are you out here?"

"Because I like it. The ground reflects the moonlight, making it seem as if on is on the moon and not under it."

Anderson blew out a cloud of smoke, watching it dissipate and then he sat down next to Alucard. He saw the muscles in the vampire's neck grow taut for a moment and he casually leaned back, farther away from the priest.

Anderson bit the inside of his mouth, angry with Alucard's anxiety. "I'm just sitting here." He scowled and Alucard flinched and his eyes grew darker.

"Yeah." Alucard remained as he was for a while, and then he sat up making Anderson's mood lighten. "Do you like the moon, Judas priest?"

Anderson sighed. "I suppose."

"I think the moon resembles a vampire." Alucard said quietly.

"How?" Anderson looked at him with a frown, unhappy with the comparison solidifying in his mind.

"It feeds off of the sun's life to live in light even though there should only be darkness." Pausing, Alucard sighed, disappointed with his explanation. "It shouldn't exist. The living on Earth shouldn't see it, but they can because it steals light from the sun….I'm sorry that it doesn't really make any sense."

Alucard was watching the snow now and Anderson watched it, trying to understand Alucard's world. The moon, the snow, they were simple things to him, without meaning, but they were important to Alucard. He could see life, preciousness within them that no one else could see. It was far too intimate and peaceful a thing for a monster to be capable of.

Alucard sat up straighter. "Integra wants me to go inside." He got up slowly and Anderson followed after a moment. As they made their way through the darkness, a glint, like a small suspended moon, appeared before them.

"Walter?" Alucard continued walking until he faced the old man who had stopped when he had heard Alucard's voice.

Walter glared at Anderson with hostility. "What were you two doing together?"

"I went on the roof." Alucard watched his anger without comment.

"Yes, and he followed you like some kind of stalker…." Walter muttered darkly.

"I saw him and went up there. I didn't _stalk_ anyone." Anderson growled with enmity brightening his glare.

"Leave it Walter. Don't be a child."

Walter started, and starred at Alucard. "Alucard! Are you just going to overlook…"

"Yes. Walter." His red eyes pierced the darkness. "Because it doesn't deserve continued existence, it's the past, we should just let it die as it should."

"But this damned creature is still alive…"

Anderson scowled, cracking his knuckles to suppress his rage.

"You're making more of a fuss about it than you should." Alucard created silence.

"What? How could this be an exaggeration?" the butler watched Alucard's dark expression with confusion.

"It's insignificant and it's my fault it became an issue. I…"

Anderson recoiled at the words and Walter shouted in outrage. "How could it possibly be your fault? Did you ask him to rape you?"

"I overreacted Walter. It surprised me and I overreacted." Alucard retained a calm tone and a normal volume as he spoke and he looked Walter directly in the eyes. "It wasn't even the first time. I've been through…that…many times."

"Alucard. You're lying, I…" Anderson said murmured, speaking so that his voice was just above a whisper.

"For that form, Anderson. It was the first time as that gender." Alucard scowled, frustrated. "Dragging this on, making me explain…it's not helpful! Why force it to remain? Move on and forget it, it has no use." Alucard grabbed Anderson, making him gasp slightly, and dragged him down the hall. "I know you're angry Walter, but move on. You can't spend the rest of your life dwelling on a single day."

Walter growled in frustration and looked out the window at the ghostly white world outside. He felt the chill of winter and age in his bones and he closed his eyes and frowned.

Alucard let go of Anderson as they reached the doorway into the dining room. They saw the group of sleepy children rubbing their eyes and Maxwell saying goodbye to Integra. They walked to the entrance, Anderson stopping once to pick up Michael.

The children that were awake said goodbye to Ceres and Alucard, giving the fledgling hugs.

"Until the next time, vampire." Anderson glanced back, walking down the steps towards the gate that was shown by the light coming from the windows.


End file.
